El Médano’s 5* La Tejita hotel gets final Government approval

On:10 June 2016

El Médano’s 5* La Tejita hotel gets final Government approval

Updated 10 June: As I said on 18 April: “Now that the Cabildo has given the go-ahead, it is for the Canarian Government’s Environment Department and Granadilla Ayuntamiento to submit their own reports; both are expected to approve the project.” And the expectations have been fulfilled, with Diario de Avisos reporting today that the Canarian Government’s Dirección General de Ordenación del Territorio has sent a report to Granadilla Ayuntamiento confirming its full approval. All that’s left now, it seems, is for the full and final formal technical project to be submitted to the council, which is fully behind the development: this is likely to be in the next few months.

Updated 30 April: The environmental action group Plataforma Salvar La Tejita discovered a digger was operating on the site yesterday, and made a denuncia to Granadilla Ayuntamiento that works were being done without a municipal licence. Subsequently the excavators appeared to stop with the appearance of a couple of Policía Local. Despite a major flurry of activity in social media about the incident, however, things are, as always, not as clear-cut as they can be made to appear.

A photo widely posted on social media.

Salvar La Tejita says that the works were clear evidence of the developers trying to remove evidence of “dunes”, the existence of which would involve the Dept of Costas, and make the area a protected one. The fact that the digger stopped working immediately the police arrived is taken as proof that what was being done was illegal and clandestine. The council, however, says that no order was given to stop the works on its behalf, and that although a municipal licence is not yet in place, the project has been completely approved at all stages so far with necessary permits from both the Tenerife Cabildo and the Canarian Government.

Moreover, the council confirmed that the works were to clear accumulated sand blown onto the scrubland, rather than removing “dunes”, and that the land concerned was a privately owned plot, and not a protected area. With apparent support for the developers from the council, Salvar La Tejita is now apparently intent on making a denuncia to the Guardia Civil.

As I said when I started this post in January, the Granadilla coast seems destined to be in the front line of this battle between industry and nature, and between development and simplicity. Logically, though, it is difficult to see the point of continued legal attempts to stop something that has been avowed legal at municipal, insular and regional levels, and which either has all the permits needed, or is in the process of acquiring them.

Updated 18 April: Tourism sources confirm a report in La Opinion today that the hotel is a step closer with the production of a favourable retport from the Tenerife Cabildo. Cabildo Turismo councillor Alberto Bernabé has said that the technicians who carried out the assessment on behalf of the Cabildo have said that the project complies with all legal standards and regulations for 5* hotels, and explicitly confirmed that it does not infringe on protected areas. Now that the Cabildo has given the go-ahead, it is for the Canarian Government’s Environment Department and Granadilla Ayuntamiento to submit their own reports; both are expected to approve the project.

Updated 28 February: Salvar La Tejita says that some 3,500 people joined its protest yesterday in Santa Cruz. Other sources put the number at nearer 1,000, but however many there were, many shouted slogans and carried placards saying “natural spaces should be protected”, “Don’t touch La Tejita beach”, “We don’t want the hotel”, and similar.

Protest march in Santa Cruz on 27 February 2016. Photo: Salvar La Teijta

The group seemingly concedes that the hotel is not going to encroach on protected land, however, because it argued for what it called “transition zones” between protected reserves and surrounding areas to minimise the impact of such developments, which they say are unsustainable and intrusive when carried out in land adjacent to nature reserves.

Activists say that they are committed to this fight and will continue to make such a noise that the public, political authorities, and commercial enterprises will understand that they are not going to give up until the project is abandoned.

Updated 26 February: The action group Salvar La Tejita has announced a public protest for this Saturday, 27 February at noon in Plaza Weyler in Santa Cruz. The group says that it opposes the planned hotel’s development because it is set to be located next to the iconic Playa de la Tejita and the Montaña Roja nature reserve, which is a site protected at national and regional levels. Again, the arguments flow both ways, the environmental versus the commercial, with the action group saying that the area’s main natural value derives from its unique volcanic landscape and the home it provides for several endemic bird species like the Kentish plover or flora like the Piña de Mar.

The action group’s petition has received some 100,000 signatures in the last few weeks, and its planned protest this Saturday has received support from environmental names now familiar from opposition to the Granadilla megaport and the proposed north-south rail link, including ATAN, Ben Magec, Podemos, Sí se Puede, Izquierda Unida Canaria, and the Green party. On the other side of the argument are those who support the plans, ranging from politicians, to businesses, and to many locals who say that they see employment possibilities and wealth for the area resulting from the proposed luxury tourist accommodation in an area that is, they argue, already under development.

Original post 13 January: The latest controversy involving Granadilla’s coastline is the Ayuntamiento’s plan for a new beach hotel in the Sotavento area of El Médano. The project, La Tejita Luxury Beach Resort, would see a front-line 5* hotel consisting of 136 double rooms and 33 suites set 276m from the beach, and the plans already have the go-ahead at municipal and regional level, with the necessary licences expected to be in place within the next few weeks. Developers Sotavento Tenerife are set to start construction later this year.

When the project was initially approved a year or so ago, Granadilla mayor Jaime González Cejas said that such touristic accommodation was notably lacking on the Granadilla coast. There is vocal disagreement, however, and the campaign to keep the area in its natural state is hotting up, not least in a change.org petition created by Alejo Pérez, which already has over 11,500 signatures. The petition, HERE, calls for the Canarian Government to paralyse the project, which Pérez says is not only unnecessary but also set within a protected area, the Reserva Especial de la Montaña Roja.

Industry and development versus nature and simplicity: the Granadilla coast seems destined to be in the front line of this battle.

This beach for me is one of the best natural beaches on Tenerife and it would be very sad to turn it commercial – not to mention the fact that it is a haven for sea life, snorkelling and wonderful tidal pools at the end closest to the mountain plus the friendly, naturist section of the beach. It would be a shame to see this developed when just round the bend at the surfers beach it is already more developed. I suppose if it were built near the old campsite it wouldn’t effect the other end of the beach so much but then where does it stop… I would like to see a detailed plan and proposal though.

Hi Janet, Can you help solve a ‘discussion’ with a neighbour. He says that a new harbour to take commercial shipping will be built next to La Tejita Beach. I think the new harbour is being built further north in Granadilla. Can you help?

How come, they are allowing this hotel to be built virtually on the beach front and yet they say the hotel in El Medano centre is illegal and must be pulled down.

I know the El Medano one is actually half out over the sea but they are using the excuse of the ruling that no buildings should be on the coast line. Surely this new one will be breaching that law too?

No, it is designed to be within the 100m (or whatever it is specifically in that area) allowed by the Ley de Costas. The problem with the Hotel Médano is that it’s actually in the sea, as you say, and the construction anyway was illegal because it didn’t stick to the terms of the building licence.

It’s planned next to the shopping centre within the ground currently fenced in so will not intrude on the beach. Furthermore if you wish you can see images of the hotel on Sotavento site and it is very sympathetic to the surrounding area.

Since 2013, the new Ley de Costas allows again to construct 20 m. from the sea. The hotel will be just bellow the new shopping centre, in the huge area that is actually surrounded by fences and immediately besides the beach, the coast line, and the protected natural space of Montaña Roja.

I hope the clients (if the project goes ahead ) are told about the wind problems at that end of the beach
El Medano already has a so called 5 star hotel las Arenas situated on Cabezo beach where many clients complain about the wind and the distance from Medano

Protesters, if they really want to protect the environment around La Tejita Beach, might be better employed cleaning up the rubbish current users of the beach (as in the protesters?) leave behind on a daily basis. If they are averse to getting their hands dirty, they could approach people on the beach to explain the dangers of allowing their garbage to blow around the beach and out into the ocean. (Yep. I did get out the wrong side of bed, but it doesn’t invalidate my comment.

I do wonder what guests of a five star hotel are going to make of the noise the visiting tankers make throughout various nights, though? I have been told, and assume to be correct (yes I know I shouldn’t assume) that the tankers supply the airport from there. I have lived in Sotovento twice, and the noise can be horrendous.

As a resident of Sotavento 1 for 10 years, I can assure anyone that Linda´s 2nd paragraph is rubbish. Yes the tankers (as in big ships) sail in once in awhile but Ive never heard them, not even once. So Linda if you really did live in Sotavento (twice) why would you need to get your ” I was told” information from a 3rd party.
Spouting lies does not help the cause.

Linda is correct in that she should assume nothing. How anyone can assume because you protest against another 5 * hotel equates to you must be a person who litters the beach. The beach is used by a great range of people some of whom oppose the hotel, others who have no opinion and those who welcome the hotel. There is no relationship between a person’s opinion and antisocial behaviour. History is littered with tyrants who categorise groups of people because of their views. Please don’t accuse me (as a protester) of anything other than opposing the hotel.

Despite the absence of a licence the council appears to be exceptionally well informed about work being carried out on private land. Their attitude to this stinks – my neighbour was recently fined several thousand euros for fixing his roof without a licence on his privately owned land. The councils support for working without a licence needs to be explained.

We have spent two holidays in Los Abrigos in the past 6 months and love the peace and tranquility
which this part of the island has to offer. It would be a great shame to spoil the area around El Medano
with a large resort. This part of the island is special and should be left alone from development. I first started
coming to Tenerife in 1982 and have seen how Adeje has become ruined by all the hotels etc.

In reply to Sue Lockert, the hotel will not intrude either on the beach or the area around El Medano. The hotel is not high rise and is in an area which is currently fenced off and not part of the beach. Perhaps the protesters are concerned about this being the beginning of mass development and I would understand if this was the case.